


Confusion

by Larry_Klaine_Stylinson



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-19
Updated: 2013-04-19
Packaged: 2017-12-08 21:33:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/766254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larry_Klaine_Stylinson/pseuds/Larry_Klaine_Stylinson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis is tired of the fans thinking Eleanor is just a beard, and so he decides that he and Harry should keep a safe distance during their upcoming tour. He begins to get a bit jealous, however, when Harry starts spending a lot more time with Liam.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Confusion

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written as a prompt fill on Tumblr.

At first Louis had thought the whole Larry Stylinson issue was rather amusing. Just something funny the fans had come up with, and initially he hadn't really minded that people thought he and Harry were dating. He thought it was kind of nice that he and Harry were that close. But as time went on and he began dating Eleanor, it wasn't so funny anymore.

It stopped being funny when people started sending hate to Eleanor, or asking Louis why he'd felt the need to get a beard. El wasn't a beard. He loved El and he was sick of her being treated badly by the fans. It hurt Eleanor and it hurt him, and he was sick of it.

He'd lost his temper a few times at this point, and as they were gearing up for the Take Me Home tour he decided it was time to put an end to it all. After their final rehearsal before the first performance he pulled Harry aside.

"Look, Harry." He began. "You know you're my best mate and I wouldn't trade you for the world, but I feel like maybe we should keep a bit of a distance on the tour, you know? No use giving people more reason to think we're hopelessly in love, yeah? They're getting a bit ridiculous with it and it's starting to take a toll on El. She's quite upset about it and I hate seeing her this way. So, maybe try spending a bit more time with the other lads, yeah?"

"Sure, yeah." Harry nodded. "Can do, Lou."

"Thanks, mate. I appreciate it." Louis said, patting him on the shoulder once before heading out.

000

Harry stood there for a moment after Louis walked away. Did he honestly want Harry to keep his distance? They were best mates, they were supposed to spend time around each other. And sure, maybe Harry had some feelings for Louis that were more than friendly, but he'd never shared that fact with him and he didn't plan to. Louis loved El and he was upset enough about the fans thinking they were dating, he didn't need to know that Harry wished they really were.

Part of him wanted to just hang around Louis anyway. He knew the older boy wouldn't shove him away. They were still friends. But he cared for Louis and he knew he needed to do what he asked, or there would be tension there, and maybe eventually they wouldn't be best mates anymore, and Harry didn't want that.

Liam walked by then, giving him a look of confusion, "What are you thinking so hard about, mate?" He asked.

"Nothing." Harry shook his head.

Liam rested a hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile, "Okay. I'll believe you for now. If you need me, though, you know where to find me."

"Thanks, Li." Harry smiled.

"Any time, Harry."

Liam left then, and Harry left a moment later. He figured if he couldn't spend all his time on stage around Louis, he'd probably just hang around Liam. Liam always gave him a comforted feeling when he was around him, and he figured not having any contact with Lou might put him a bit on edge, so staying by Liam's side would probably be best.

000

They were all back stage and their set would be starting any moment. The band who was opening for them was just finishing up their last song now. Harry was doing a bit of stretching, just to shake his nerves a bit. He always got nervous before a performance, no matter how well prepared he was. Nerves were important, really, to Harry. He was pretty sure all the best performers got a little nervous.

He saw Louis walking over to him, and he was hoping he was going to tell him to ignore what he'd said yesterday. That they could interact as they normally would.

"Break a leg, Harry." Louis smiled.

"You, too, Lou."

"Don't forget what I said, yeah? About keeping a safe distance."

"Right. Got it, Lou." Harry said, trying not to let the hurt show in his voice.

Louis smiled at him brightly before walking away, chatting with Zayn. Liam came over then, resting a hand on Harry's shoulder and frowning at him slightly.

"You're thinking too hard again." He told him.

"I'm fine." Harry said.

"Whatever you say, mate." Liam shrugged, squeezing Harry's shoulder gently. "Have a good show."

"You, too, Li."

They all got set to run out on stage, and then the lights were going out, and it was time to begin. They ran out and music began playing and they started to sing.

Harry kept an eye on Louis out of the corner of his eye, making sure to stay on the opposite side of the stage. He figured the further away he stayed the better. Because if he was even remotely close to Louis he wouldn't be able to stop himself from reaching out to him or whispering to him like they always did during their concerts.

They finished their first song, and Liam talked to the audience a bit, and then they were singing again. Louis danced around with Niall, and Harry felt a stabbing pain in his chest. That should have been him dancing with Louis. They always goofed around like that.

They next song began, and Louis and Zayn were jumping around, and Harry honestly wanted to cry. How was he supposed to do this for nine months? It didn't even matter what his feelings were for Louis, this would have hurt no matter what. Having your best friend ask you to keep your distance just because some fans thought you were dating. It hurt.

Zayn's solo came up, and Harry decided to go tell Liam some stupid joke he'd come up with the other night. He closed the space between them and whispered in his ear and the older lad began to chuckle loudly, and Harry felt a genuine smile wash over his face.

"No, but Harry." Liam whispered to him. "Why did the golfer wear two pairs of trousers?"

"In case he got a hole in one, Liam." Harry said, laughing at the fact that he'd taken the punchline away from him. "That's the oldest joke in the book, honestly."

Liam laughed, smacking Harry in the arm lightly before stepping forward to sing his solo.

Harry caught Louis' gaze on him and flashed him a small smile. Louis smiled back, but then turned away, focusing his attention on Niall. Harry thought it was kind of funny how uncomfortable Louis looked. Like maybe he needed Harry's presence to feel completely normal, just as Harry needed his. He was doing alright with Liam, though. He'd be okay.

They sang a few more songs, and then it was time for Twitter questions. Harry threw an arm around Liam's shoulder so as to keep himself away from Louis. Liam read out the question, something about favorite dessert, which Niall and Louis answered. And then Zayn read out favorite member of the band. Now, the boys all loved each other, but Harry and Louis always said each other. Always. Today, however, Louis said, "I think I'm going to change it up a bit and go with Niall."

Harry's heart dropped into his stomach, and Zayn turned to him. He lifted the microphone up to his mouth and said, "Li, obviously." Giving him a big, over dramatic kiss on the top of the head, causing Liam to laugh.

"Right back at you, Haz."

Louis looked almost...Upset at this, which Harry found to be quite ridiculous, because he was the one who had said they should keep their distance. It wasn't as if Harry had asked to be left on the opposite side of the stage from his best mate. And besides, Louis had said Niall, why shouldn't Harry be allowed to say Liam? Louis probably would have gotten mad if Harry had said his name anyway.

They began singing Change My Mind now, and the way they'd rehearsed it, Harry ended up standing next to Louis. Harry put all his attention onto the audience, though. Waving and smiling and keeping his eyes off of Louis, because of all the songs he could have had to stand next to Louis for, this was one of the worst.

They sang a bit longer and talked to the audience and goofed around, and then finally, the show was over. They thanked the crowd and bowed and smiled and waved, and then they were off stage.

Louis came over to Harry then, giving him a tight lipped smile, "Thank you." Was all he said, and then he was walking away. It seemed to Harry as if there was a bit of a strain forming in their friendship already. He didn't like it.

000

Over the next two weeks, Louis watched from across the stage as Harry's bond with Liam continued to grow. All five of them had always been close, but in Louis' mind it was always he and Harry 'til the very end. They were best mates and nothing was going to change that, not ever. But it seemed as though Harry felt differently.

It had gotten to the point where not only was he spending all his time on stage with Liam, he was also spending a good amount of his time off stage with Liam. Louis watched as the two of them played video games together on the tour bus and went off to lunch together when they had the afternoon free.

Louis couldn't deny that he was jealous. He missed his best mate. He supposed that maybe he'd caused this, though. He shouldn't have let what the fans thought effect him so much. He should have just left it alone. Harry was his best mate and he wanted him back. The least he could do was invite him along to lunch with him and Liam.

They had a few days off, and Louis decided to confront him about it. He was tired of Harry and Liam's secret whispers and laughs that caused his stomach to coil up to the point where he thought he might actually throw up right there on stage.

They were staying in a hotel, and Louis walked a few doors down the hall to Harry's room, knocking loudly. Harry answered, giving him a small smile.

"Hey, Lou."

"Hi." Louis smiled. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Harry said, stepping aside.

Louis made his way into the room, plopping down in a chair and taking a deep breath, "You've been spending an awful lot of time with Liam lately." He commented.

"Yeah." Harry shrugged. "S'pose I have."

"You haven't really spent any time with me at all."

"Thought you didn't want me to." Harry said, sitting on the edge of his bed, across from the chair Louis was sitting in.

"Just on stage, Hazza. Just in front of everyone. You're still my best mate and I still want you around."

Harry was silent, biting his lip.

"If I'm honest I've been feeling a little jealous." Louis admitted.

"Jealous how?" Harry asked.

"Jealous like...Like when you whisper to Liam...It should be me you're whispering to, you know?"

"And it would be if you hadn't told me to stay away."

"Stay way wasn't the way I put it." Louis frowned a bit. "That makes it sound mean and-"

"It was a bit mean." Harry said, seeming reluctant to let the words come out.

"Why didn't you say so before, Harry?" Louis asked. "I never meant to be mean. I was just concerned for Eleanor, I suppose. But I really don't care anymore, I just want my best mate back, and I want you to stop whispering to Liam because it makes me sick to watch it."

"I'm going to say something, okay? And I don't want you to get mad."

"Okay." Louis nodded.

"Promise you won't get mad."

"I promise."

"D'you think, maybe, the reason you started getting so upset about what the fans thought of us is because there's a part of you, somewhere, that wants it to be true?"

"What?" Louis asked, shocked.

"I just...The way you're reacting to me spending so much time with Li...It seems like more than you just missing your best mate. That's all I'm saying."

Louis was caught off guard by the question. Harry had a point, though, didn't he? Who got physically ill that their friend was friends with someone else? Louis never did. Louis only ever really felt like this when he liked someone and he knew he couldn't have them, or when he thought they were being taken from him. Then again, he and Harry had always had a close bond, and he was more than just a friend, he was Louis' absolute best mate ever. But still, maybe Harry was right. Louis just felt confused about it all.

"I...I don't know, Harry." Louis sighed.

"What if I said that I had feelings for you that were stronger than just best mates?" Harry asked, and Louis' jaw dropped open a bit.

"Do you?"

Harry closed his eyes, nodding.

Oh. Well then.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I just...I thought there was no point. By the time I'd gotten enough courage to tell you, you'd started dating El. And then you started getting so upset about what the fans were saying and I thought that you'd hate me if you knew, you know?"

"I could never hate you, Harry." Louis said, getting up from his place in the chair and going to sit next to Harry on his bed. "Can I just...I want to try something, okay?"

Harry nodded, and Louis brought a hand up to gently caress his jaw, leaning in slowly and pressing his lips to Harry's. And he knew he shouldn't be doing this while he was still dating El, but there was no way for him to know how he felt about Harry until he did this. He moved his lips against Harry's slowly, just feeling. Feeling everything. Harry slipped his tongue out and ran it along Louis' lower lip. He opened his mouth slightly, allowing Harry's tongue to slip inside, and he gasped at the feeling. He tightened his hold on Harry's jaw, pulling him closer, and then finally, they broke the kiss, pulling away.

He knew now what his feelings were, but he still had feelings for El as well, and if he was being honest, he was just very confused.

"Harry, can I....I need some time to think, yeah? Just...Just a bit of time, okay?"

"Sure, yeah." Harry nodded, sounding breathless. "That's fine, Lou."

000

Louis had decided after that that he and Harry could interact on stage as normal, and if people wanted to assume things that was their own damn business, and he wouldn't let it effect his life.

Two weeks had passed now, however, and Louis was still apparently "thinking", because Harry had heard nothing more on the subject of their relationship of lack thereof. He was beginning to think that nothing was going to change. Louis would continue dating El and he'd be the lousy best mate who was in love with Louis and would never have anything with him but friendship.

They were sitting next to each other during one of their slower songs, and Louis leaned over to Harry, whispering in his ear, "I've broken things off with El."

"You what?" Harry asked, shocked at the sudden announcement.

"I ended it with El." Louis told him again.

"But why?" Harry asked, wanting to make sure he wasn't getting his hopes up for nothing.

"Why do you think, Harry?" Louis asked, and Harry stayed silent. Louis stopped talking to him for a moment, singing his solo, and then the two of them singing the chorus with the rest of the boys. Once they were done, Louis leaned in again. "Because a certain best mate of mine told me he has feelings for me, and I kissed him and it was kind of perfect, and if he isn't too mad at me for being an idiot all this time I'd like to maybe give he and I a shot at being...Something." Louis said.

"What other best mates of yours have you been going around kissing?" Harry asked.

"Oh, shove off, Hazza. You know I meant you."

"Do I know that?"

"You should."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay." Harry nodded.


End file.
